Teaching puppy to settle?

[HangingTree]

So I have a 15 weeks old puppy from working lines, and I'm a first time BC owner. I've been reading quite a lot about teaching the puppy to settle, and I understand that it's very important to start teaching this early. So far I've been rewarding random calm behaviors with treats, and I've done a couple of things that have been recommended to me; sitting down on the couch and asking for the puppy to lie down at my feet and reward him for staying there, and holding him in my arms until he's calm then releasing him. However I'm having some questions that I've been unable to get an answer to..

 

Because when I'm trying to teach him to settle by my feet, he keeps getting up. I'll ask for a down with hand signal, but use the settle cue instead when he lies down. If I ignore this (waiting for him to lie back down so that I can reward him), he will start scratching the floor, chewing at the couch (and floor) and biting my feet.. And I'm just not sure how I should respond here..

 

I've also been considering to try keeping a leash in the living room, and tie him to it when he's all hyper, and release him when he calms down. The problem is the same here.. He chews on the floor, leash, door.. Anything he can get a hold of! I understand this is perfectly normal puppy behavior, but if anyone could give me some advice on how to handle this, I would love it!

 

He's usually calms down very quickly in his crate, so it's not that he's physically unable too!

 

(I feel I should add that I do want an active working dog, and he does get exercise and play before I work on settling him. My goal is that he will learn when it is expected of him to be calm, as I can't have him going all turbo inside the house all the time, hehe )

[Alchemist]

I think tethering a pup to you while you're working at a computer, reading, or watching TV is a good way to teach it to settle. (It also helps in housebreaking and in making sure no mischief is afoot). If your pup is chewing at the leash, though, perhaps you need one that's less palatable? Most dogs don't like mouthing something made out of chain. (I reserve my nice leather leashes until pups are past that point). Maybe you could also give it a Bully stick or a Kong that's fine for it to chew on, in order for it to occupy itself in a puppy-appropriate manner?

 

I also try to have my pups spend part of each day in a crate/Xpen with me in the adjacent room. I want them to learn that it's OK for them to be on their own. (I do try to provide them with something they're allowed to chew on - sort of a reward for enduring boredom on their own).

[Sue R]

What Lynn said!

 

Also remember that giving attention when the pup misbehaves rewards the misbehavior, and rewarding calm and quiet behavior can reinforce that. It's not always easy and there can be a fine line between what to do and what not to do!

[GentleLake]

I think the biggest key here is patience. He's still very young to be expecting him to understand this concept yet. It takes time and some maturity. Sounds like you're off to a good start, though.

 

In addition to the great suggestions you've already gotten, don't forget to quietly reward him when he lies down calmly on his own, even if it's just because he's played himself out. I like to use calm stroking and a quiet "good boy" in those moments, because you don't want to get him riled up again.

[Camden's Mom]

You said he settles really well in his crate, right? Well, if he starts acting up something fierce it might not be a bad idea to put him in there for a bit.

 

I agree completely with GentleLake that he's still way to young to fully grasp this behavior, so you'd want to give him a few chances to fail and then (hopefully) eventually succeed... kind of a "three strikes, you're out" rule. If he's being relentless and just won't settle down when you need him to, especially if he's had plenty of exercise and interaction beforehand, the crate could be a valuable tool.

[HangingTree]

Thank you so much guys!

 

I think I will try to get a hold of a leash made of chain, so that I can keep him tethered to me without having to worry about him chewing the leash.. That really would help a lot I think. Sadly he doesn't seem to find kongs that interesting yet, even though I've tried stuffing them with different kinds of things. He enjoys them in the crate, but outside of it he prefers running around and chewing other things..

 

And since I will try not to give him attention when he misbehaves, should I just wait out the scratching and chewing? Because I think he finds that very rewarding too, ehe.. I expected a lot of chewing so I have removed a lot of my things obviously, but it's astonishing how he'll even attempt to chew the floor, doors and even the couch!

 

I think I may have to get more creative with the treats too.. He'll take them, but I haven't really found anything that is more satisfactory than for example smells.. I've tried using things like ham and hot dogs too (since they smell a lot), but especially new smells are much more interesting to him than any kind of food I've been able to find.

 

I'm glad to hear that he's a bit young to understand this! A lot of people seem to be shouting at me that settling down should have been taught to him from the day he could walk, especially since he's almost doomed to become hyperactive and crazy (since he's a BC and all..) So I actually felt a bit like I was catching up on teaching this I guess it's worth noting that these people don't own BCs themselves..

[Camden's Mom]

FWIW, I was a first time dog owner when I got by BC pup at 10 weeks. I'd never heard of training a "settle". He was probably going on 6 months when I first read about training the behavior on these forums and immediately began working on it... so we got a much later start and it's worked out ok. If I were to do it over I'd have started on day one, but he's far from ruined because of the delay.

 

I think of behaviors (settle, loose leash walking, polite greeting, etc.) as very different from "tricks" (sit, down, stay). Behaviors are trained over time and with patience and repetition they become the default. Tricks are proofed and perfected, but it's still something you ask for in a given situation. IOW, don't expect him to get this overnight... it's gonna take time. There's an interesting and recent discussion on teaching a settle that also touches on the behavior verses trick training discussion. You may find it helpful! http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=36211

 

Regarding the chewing and floor eating... I think you have to either 1) create a situation in which the puppy only has the opportunity to chew on things that are appropriate or 2) put him in his crate if he's getting into things he shouldn't and just won't quite.

 

Using a chain lead to tether him to you, giving him something appropriate that he likes to chew on and practicing your settle in an area where he can't get into too much trouble is one way to go. Also, you may want to consider getting an ex-pen that you can fill with only puppy appropriate items so he can still be out of the crate but not able to get into too much trouble. I've sworn to the heavens if I ever get a puppy again I WILL be buying an ex-pen... woulda' made life so so so much easier.

[Lizabeth]

That is what I do with Gidget, it is getting better but so many distractions. She is a chewer too so the chain leash is a must for her. I will go through it over and over again having her sit down and stay at my feet or side if anyone saw they prob think im a nut lol but its getting better she can remain calm and sitting for a little bit longer.

[GentleLake]

he prefers running around and chewing other things..

 

Frustrating as it is, this is totally normal puppy behavior. I'd be worried about a puppy who doesn't do stuff like that.

 

 

And since I will try not to give him attention when he misbehaves, should I just wait out the scratching and chewing? Because I think he finds that very rewarding too, ehe.. I expected a lot of chewing so I have removed a lot of my things obviously, but it's astonishing how he'll even attempt to chew the floor, doors and even the couch!

 

There's a fine line between giving attention (even negative attention) he craves, and allowing unwanted behavior to persist. If he's scratching and chewing, it's not something I'd wait out. I'd either quickly shove something that it's OK to chew in his mouth, or scoop him up and put him in his crate for a little time out. You could also see if you can interrupt the behavior with a verbal interrupter, like ah-ah or uh-oh. If it distracts him for even an instant follow up with praise and/or a treat

[GentleLake]

I think of behaviors (settle, loose leash walking, polite greeting, etc.) as very different from "tricks" (sit, down, stay). Behaviors are trained over time and with patience and repetition they become the default. Tricks are proofed and perfected, but it's still something you ask for in a given situation.

 

I know this is taking a bit of a tangent, but I think it's something that should be addressed. I've seen a couple people write things like this before, and I think it's very misleading, though I also think it's simply a matter of vocabulary.

 

Everything a dog (or person, etc.) does are behaviors, i.e. observable activities, responses to stimuli. Within that general classification, there are many different types of behaviors that we can apply different labels to.

 

Honestly, I don't see any difference in what you refer to as behaviors vs. tricks based on your definition. Both are trained over time, with repetition, become the defaults and are proofed and perfected. When I train a "settle" I go through all the same steps I do when I go through training "sit" or "come."

 

I don't know exactly what word choice best defines these (I hope someone will help me out with that!), but I lump all of these things into behaviors that are integral to having a well mannered dog who's easy to live with because I can tell her or him what I need her or him to do in any given situation. Therefore, to me, "sit" or "lie down" really isn't any different from "settle" or "wait" or "go to your mat". Each is appropriate in certain situations and I expect my dogs to comply.

 

Tricks, OTOH, are things that aren't necessarily critical to having a well behaved dog. They're clever and/or amusing skills that we train for fun, things like "roll over" or "play dead" or even "fetch", for our amusement. They're definitely fun things to have in a dog's repertoire and very useful in keeping a dog's mind engaged, but they're certainly not necessary things anyone needs to teach their dog in order to have a well mannered companion.

 

I think I understand the distinction you're trying to make, Camden's Mom, in that there's a difference between things we train that we want a dog to respond to on cue, and things we train for so that the dog will (hopefully) make choices about it's overall behavioral patterns in day to day life, though even these are often put on cues that we expect the dogs to respond to. But I do think the terminology that's being used is misleading. They're all, by definition, behaviors. Some are important and useful behaviors, and some not so much

 

So, sorry for the tangent, and for seeming like I'm splitting hairs, but I really do think it's an important distinction.

 

roxanne

[Camden's Mom]

This is a good point and maybe my word choice is flawed. I would agree calling "sit" a trick, as it's a very valuable behavior that is taught, practiced, proofed and used often, is probably poor word choice on my part.

Let's see if I can take my confusing vocabulary out of the equation and try to better describe what I was referring to...

 

So using "sit" as the example... There are many instances where I ask my dog to sit. It's a command he knows and understands and it can come at any time and in any situation. I say "sit" and he sits.. good boy!

 

For awhile now, I've been training my dog to heel up at my side and sit next to me when a bicyclist or horseback rider is passing us on a trail. We've repeated this over and over with me asking for the command each time. After a lot of repetitions he's started to offer the behavior on his own pretty regularly. Sometimes i still have to remind him by giving the "sit" command, but normally he will do it on his own. It's becoming a default behavior.

 

With regards to settling, yes, initially you have to train, proof and ask for the behavior with a cue. But isn't the idea that at some point the dog will come in from a walk and just plop down and settle on his own without needing you to tell him to do so? I guess that's the distinction in my mind.

 

Maybe a better way to describe it would be "command behavior" verses "default behavior"? I think there's a clear distinction between the two, personally, but agree that both equally contribute to the dog being a polite canine citizen.

[gcv-border]

I am one that differentiates between behaviors and tricks. I know what I mean, and I don't get too upset about what terminology is used. Yes, perhaps I could worry about the exact semantics, but I prefer to provide an explanation to go with the terminology so the person I am addressing can understand the difference.

 

I agree that tricks are a subset of a behaviors. In my mind, there is a continuum of behaviors/tricks or what have you. At what point does a trick turn into a behavior, or vice versa? Not something I worry about, but since I am thinking about it now, I would have to say that one difference might be duration: a 'sit' can range from touch your butt to the ground (a trick) to 'sit there without moving for X period of time' (a behavior). Others may define a trick as a skill that is not normal behavior (training a dog to balance on a ball or ....), whereas other skills of a good citizen dog may be defined as manners.

 

I think that the point, WRT the OP, is that a young pup can be taught to lie down quietly for about a second or five, but that one should not expect a 'lie down' of a long duration just because you asked the pup to lie down and gave it a few treats.

[GentleLake]

OK, I definitely see you point about the "command" or "cued" behavior vs. a "default" behavior.

 

Next time I run into the local Karen Pryor Academy trainers, I'll have to ask what the correct behavioral terminology is for these different things.

 

Or maybe one of the training whizes here will clue us in.

[GentleLake]

I agree that tricks are a subset of a behaviors. In my mind, there is a continuum of behaviors/tricks or what have you. At what point does a trick turn into a behavior, or vice versa? Not something I worry about, but since I am thinking about it now, I would have to say that one difference might be duration: a 'sit' can range from touch your butt to the ground (a trick) to 'sit there without moving for X period of time' (a behavior). Others may define a trick as a skill that is not normal behavior (training a dog to balance on a ball or ....), whereas other skills of a good citizen dog may be defined as manners.

 

The problem I have with this approach to it is that it's confusing. The reason people understand each other is because words have specific meanings. So if someone uses the word "behavior" to apply to only some particular types of behaviors, then not everyone will understand what you mean.

 

Again, all these things are behaviors, regardless of duration or purpose or whether it's on cue or not.

 

A "trick" in this context, by definition is "a clever and skillful action that someone performs to entertain or amuse people" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trick). I can see where a quick butt touch to the ground as an amusing behavior might be considered a trick, but then I'm wondering what a distinguishing term would be for behavior known as "sit" when you want your dog to do it for a reason and stay there for a while. Or, as Camden' Mom is saying, how do we define the difference between behaviors that are cued vs. those that we expect as a default in specific situations, or as general rules of manners such as settling calmly in the house?

[rushdoggie]

Re: settle.

 

I do things a little bit differently, but it has the same results.

 

1. Every puppy has scheduled "down time" in a crate or ex-pen. This is even if I am home. They get attended to, played with, then its "quiet time" and I pop them in a crate with a Kong, bully stick or similar and ignore them while I do other things. I lead a pretty dog centric life but I do other things that require me to not pay close attention to a puppy and during those times they are confined with a chewie and ignored or paid attention to in a peripheral fashion.. Initially, puppy will complain and I just ignore them. Eventually they get into a rhythm of busy time, play time, quiet time and its natural for them.

 

2. I don't respond to demand behaviors. It takes time to know the difference between an "I have to pee" whine and an "I'm bored" whine but I learn it and ignore being pestered. Puppies who pester get told "thats enough" with a hands up gesture, and if they ignore it they get put up for a while. Pretty soon they learn "thats enough" means go away or they will get crated.

[Cass C]

I don't neccicarily use "settle", but like rushdoggie I use "that's enough" and then ignore them, or at least don't engage them in any way unless it's to let them out potty. My new puppy only took a week to figure out that when I say "that's enough" it means go entertain yourself and leave me alone. My dogs usually choose to lay down and watch me from across the room.

 

I typically only do this when I am cooking or otherwise need a little space to move around without my dogs under foot.

 

They do have kennels, but they are only put in them as puppies at bedtime and if I have to leave them home alone or if they feel like it